This game marks the official end for Pune and Punjab's respective campaigns. A story so similar but not so much if you dig deep. One had the best of captains while the other a makeshift novice; one had a good serving of superstars while other struggled with its limited purse; one was haunted by T20 League-terminating injuries, the other by the delayed captaincy juggle and the senior players' inefficacy. Pune looked to have settled for the last spot tonight, until that Dhoni hurricane blew our brains out, metamorphized Punjab's fortunes and led his team to a win, thus evading that spot of shame. That's it, hop over to the next game. Good bye from Pratyush Sinha on behalf of Raju Peethala, Bharath Ramaraj and Naga. Ta-ta!

Dhoni: "It was a fantastic game. This is the game we wanted to win and get into the knockouts - but that was not the case. We were never outplayed and that's the reason our runrate is not so bad, despite losing so many games. With other players coming in, next season will be different. If you see our selection, we were worried in our bowling. When we got wickets with the new ball, spinners have done well. So picking up wickets early is important for us. There were glimpses of the talent in the team and we don't have the luxury of bench strength. People will come with new plans against bowlers and batsmen, and you have to adapt. This year, T20 League had the best kind of wickets. On the flatter side, but the bowlers could restrict them to 160-170. We got good support here but it was tough for us, and we had to get used to the new conditions (talking about the shift of home venue), although the record at Pune wasn't good. The wicket at Pune has settled down, was good for batting but guess we will have more help in there for the bowlers."

MS Dhoni is the Man of the Match

The presentations are live now. Hold on for the quotes..

Earlier, it was Thisara Perera, who had crunched some meaty strikes to keep PUNE in the game. However, PUNE looked dead and buried with just one over to go, only for Dhoni to pull off a jailbreak. For PUN, Vijay and Gurkeerat Singh Mann compiled fifties to take them to a competitive total.

MS Dhoni pulverised Axar Patel with his power-hitting in the final over to pilot PUNE to a nerve-wracking victory. 23 runs was required from the last over, but Dhoni showed his class and quality by exploring every crevice of the ground to ensure PUNE would avoid the wooden spoon. In short, Dhoni saved his best for PUNE' final game. Questions though, would be asked as to why Vijay opted for Axar.

Over: 20	0 Wd 6 0 4 6 6	PUNE 173/6
Dhoni 64(32)	Ashwin 1(1)	Axar 4-0-43-1

19.6 - Axar to Dhoni, SIX, Dhoni, you beautiful beast! Axar Patel has been bullied, like at a senior's 'orientation' party! Oh wow. 23 runs were needed and Dhoni went 6, 4, 6, 6 to seal it. "I don't want the last spot," he must have said to himself. Axar tries to outwit him with an arm-ball on leg-stump but Dhoni quickly shuffled across and inside the line, and whipped it over deep mid-wicket. So much power. Can't imagine how you would manage it on the leg-side, without the room for the bat swing, but Dhoni has, and as a result, glued Punjab to the bottom of this T20 League 2016 points table forever

19.5 - Axar to Dhoni, SIX, Axar has lost it. Just another six needed. Drops it on a length, Dhoni swipes his bat and marauds it over deep mid-wicket... A wind up and a release to see the ball launched away. And there's a dog on the field, desperately trying to get rid of his itch

19.4 - Axar to Dhoni, FOUR, that's why! Short and wide delivery again, can you believe? Shamed over deep cover with a brutal cut shot

19.3 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, that's a horror. A good shot, a good fielding effort from Amla at deep cover but the duo don't run! Could have added an easy two. Short and wide (Why Axar?), Dhoni jerks his elbows straight, thinks it's a four and hence doesn't run, but Amla sprints across, disturbs the turf and stops it to fox Dhoni

19.2 - Axar to Dhoni, SIX, there you go! That's been manhandled, and the worst of times for Punjab! Who gets that dreaded wooden spoon? Launches this with a slog over deep mid-wicket

19.2 - Axar to Dhoni, wide, and this shot off the pitch. An arm-ball perhaps. Cooted across Dhoni, ends up a mile down leg-side and is wided

19.1 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, Dhoni doesn't run. Again. Gets a drag down, pulls it to deep mid-wicket but is greedy enough to stay at the crease

Axar Patel [3.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack

Over: 19	W 1 4 0 0 1	PUNE 150/6
Dhoni 42(26)	Ashwin 1(1)	Mohit Sharma 4-0-39-1

18.6 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, 1 run, another yorker, not quite as stunning as the last one as this just stuck to its trajectory. No changing it to curl inwards. Dhoni jams his bat down into the pitch and runs it down to long-off. 23 needed off the last over..after this masterpiece from Mohit Sharma. His figures of 1/39 belie how good this over was

18.5 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, no run, that's an underrated jaffa. Curls this yorker in on leg-stump, like an inswinging drone ship, and Dhoni almost falls over as he took his front leg out for a dig. Manages it somehow

18.4 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, no run, the field was set for the leg-stump yorker length delivery but he gets a short ball. Pulls and finds Amla square on the leg-side... and he does not run!

Vijay brings mid-off up, fine leg goes back. A leg-stump yorker length delivery?

18.3 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, FOUR, that's a one-handed Dhoni wondershot. Mohit goes for a dipping full toss outside off, Dhoni reaches out with an open bat penduling across and carves it out over backward point. Pushed so hard at it that his bottom hand came off, but you want want one of Dhoni's for two of yours

18.2 - Mohit Sharma to Ashwin, 1 run, just changes the trajectory of this yorker with a bat planted open towards backward point. 28 off 10 now

Ravichandran Ashwin, right handed bat, comes to the crease

18.1 - Mohit Sharma to T Perera, out Caught by W Saha!! Ah, Perera misses being in England because he has edged one to the keeper.. with a shot that's from his T20 cupboards. Was perhaps expecting a slower delivery but gets one very full and fast outside off. Hurries into a bat swing, looking to launch it downtown, but fails to do it in time. An outside edge is eked out as a result and Saha pouches it safely behind. T Perera c W Saha b Mohit Sharma 23(14) [4s-2 6s-1]

Mohit Sharma to T Perera, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

29 runs needed off the last 2 overs. Very much on, with Dhoni and Perera looking to flick the beast-mode switch on. Back-of-the-hand-athon to follow

Over: 18	1 6 Wd 4 0 Wd 4 1 6 1 6 6 0	PUNE 144/5
Dhoni 37(22)	T Perera 23(13)	Sandeep Sharma 4-0-29-1

17.6 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, no run, and it's a dot. No feet from Dhoni. Just looks to power this length cutter from the crease, the ball doesn't bounce enough and shoves under Dhoni's jerking bat

17.5 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, SIX, can someone check Vizag's altitude? This flew, believe me. Hits that don't-do-it fullish length, Dhoni latches onto it and motors it on a 103-meter journey via long-off. Huge. Brutal. Mighty. And I don't have any more adjectives.. Ramiz Raza used it all already

17.4 - Sandeep Sharma to T Perera, 1 run, this makes up for that wide. Drops the yorker right in front of Perera's feet and the batsman is content with a squeeze round the corner

17.3 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, 1 run, tailors the length back on this cutter, Dhoni waits and pulls awkwardly in front of long-on. Uppish but safe, as far as the cliches go

17.3 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, wide, he's lost it. Sandeep's lost it. Bangs it on a length and steers this off-pace delivery well wide of tramline outside off, Dhoni doesn't not even bother

17.2 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, FOUR, tries for a more disciplined repeat and it did look like a good ploy, given Dhoni's feet frozen to the pitch. But Sandeep cloaks this wide yorker in a full toss, Dhoni reaches out and slices it over backward point. Not pretty but will do. 38 off 16 needed now..

17.2 - Sandeep Sharma to Dhoni, wide, spears this yorker wide but overdoes it by trespassing the off-stump tramlines

17.1 - Sandeep Sharma to T Perera, 1 run, how should I put it? A brutal flow into this drive that almost pummeled a wide yorker length delivery to long-off. Along the turf, if you were expecting some pyrotechnics

Sandeep Sharma [3.0-0-14-1] is back into the attack

Over: 17	0	PUNE 129/5
T Perera 21(11)	Dhoni 26(18)	Mohit Sharma 3-0-33-0

16.6 - Mohit Sharma to T Perera, 1 run, this full toss dips just in time for Perera to lose all the timing on his shot. Wanted to flat-bat this down the ground, had crouched low to get in sync with the bounce but the dip denied him. Mistimed to long-on for just a single and the equation now reads: 44 off the last 3 overs

16.5 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, 1 run, waits for this cutter to steam up from a back of a length and flashes it away to the deep extra cover in place

16.4 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, 2 runs, that was in the slot to be helicoptered away. Fullish length and Dhoni had the room made to whip that away. Instead mistimed it along the ground to long-on for a couple

16.3 - Mohit Sharma to T Perera, 1 run, was standing deep inside to squeeze out this very full ball outside off - with a drive down the long-off. The road must be good..

16.2 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, 1 run, that's a yorker straight out of the rule book. Dipping in front of the stumps for Dhoni to crouch and almost lose his balance in trying to dig that out. To long-off for a single. 49 off 22 needed

16.1 - Mohit Sharma to Dhoni, FOUR, that's a full toss and it's been blazed away. Burnt. Opens the blade, gets the horsepower with whipped wrists and canes it square of the wicket on the off-side

Mohit Sharma [2.0-0-23-0] is back into the attack

Over: 16	W 4	PUNE 119/5
T Perera 19(9)	Dhoni 18(14)	Kyle Abbott 3-0-25-0

15.6 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, FOUR, and again! What an over this. 16 runs off it. Short ball on the stumps, not the width to be cut away but Perera starts up and creates some of his own. Shuffles across ever so late with a hop and plants it wide of backward point. Pune need 54 runs in 24 balls

15.5 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, SIX, bazinga! Good length and Perera makes a meal out of that. Thanks the stars for getting one in his swinging arc and PSLVs it over long-on. Oh, that brutal bat swing

15.4 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, 2 runs, Perera has spring for spine. Hops and arches back as he waited for this slower short ball and cut it over point. Only a couple as it's cleaned up in the deep

15.3 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, no run, slows the pace on this one but keeps it short. Perera delays the cut but not enough to see the ball zoot over his top-edge

15.2 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, FOUR, this he has connected. Pounces on the short delivery and pipes the brutal cut wide of a diving cover-point

15.1 - Kyle Abbott to T Perera, no run, a whooooosh. Sees a hint of width, looks to make up for the missed morning exercise with straightening arms and misses. The ball and the benefit off the pitch too good

Kyle Abbott [2.0-0-9-0] is back into the attack

Over: 15	1 6 Wd 3 4 1 Wd	PUNE 103/5
T Perera 3(3)	Dhoni 18(14)	Axar 3-0-20-1

14.6 - Axar to T Perera, 1 run, this was ticked off the pads to fine leg

14.5 - Axar to Dhoni, 3 runs, turns around almost in a half circle - so much that he's facing square leg - and then chops it down to fine leg. Into the pitch and there was enough force thrusted for it to roll away... but Abbott dives into my TV screen suddenly and keeps it to a single

14.4 - Axar to Dhoni, SIX, that's smoked! On a length, bounding off the pitch quick enough for Dhoni to time this shot. Slog-sweeps this well over deep mid-wicket. Not a bad ball, I repeat, not a bad ball. Just the timing, the power and 34 milligrams of Dhoni's charisma

14.3 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, presses forward and lets out a frugal push into the off-side

14.2 - Axar to Dhoni, 2 runs, the line was far from being on the stumps, just outside off and Dhoni works it to fine leg

14.1 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, lovely. Shortens the length as he sees Dhoni shuffle forward and gets Dhoni's hands into a tangle - as he brings his bat in front of his pad to defend

14.1 - Axar to Dhoni, wide, tries to bowl full and quick but gets the ball to zoom over the tramline outside off. Wide given

Over: 14	4 1 1 1 1	PUNE 90/5
Dhoni 7(9)	T Perera 2(2)	R Dhawan 3-0-21-1

13.6 - R Dhawan to Dhoni, 1 run, straight ball, the pace on which has been taken off by the dacoit - Rishi Dhawan. Shaved off the pads to deep square leg. 83 off 36 needed now. What do you reckon?

13.5 - R Dhawan to T Perera, 1 run, onederful shot. Pardon the pun. Gets on the front foot and eases the ball right down to sweeper cover

13.4 - R Dhawan to Dhoni, 1 run, turns around anticlockwise in his crease and milks a single past mid-wicket

13.3 - R Dhawan to T Perera, 1 run, worked in front of mid-on for a quick single

Thisara Perera, left handed bat, comes to the crease

13.2 - R Dhawan to I Pathan, out Caught by W Saha!! Let's stop and agree on one thing: Irfan Pathan is having a moment and it's a horror. This is the most embarrassing of ways to go. A short ball from a modest-paced Dhawan to start and arguably this bumper was intended to be slow. But not so slow. Pathan's delayed pull was so tortoise-esque that the ball lobbed off the toe-end during that half a second which looked to be played in slow motion. Saha sprints forward, dives and pouches it heroically. I Pathan c W Saha b R Dhawan 2(3)

R Dhawan to I Pathan, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

13.1 - R Dhawan to Dhoni, 1 run, a desperate dive at cover from Vijay and this front foot push to a length ball from Dhoni has been denied a few more runs

Rishi Dhawan [2.0-0-16-0] is back into the attack

Over: 13	0 0 1 4	PUNE 85/4
Dhoni 4(6)	I Pathan 2(2)	Axar 2-0-7-1

12.6 - Axar to Dhoni, 1 run, worked down to long-off this time. Extended his arms to win over the slight width offered and kept the strike. 88 needed off 42 balls

12.5 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, that's a Dhoni defence. Gets his hands into a tangle as he pushes his push-iron of a bat to oat the defence back

12.4 - Axar to Dhoni, 2 runs, pushes this fuller and quicker, within the stumps, and an inside edge on the clip finds its way through Dhoni's pads to fine leg

12.3 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, another shortish length, iota of a turn and Dhoni opens his bat face in the back-footed defence

12.2 - Axar to Dhoni, no run, slow and short, turns away like a poor man's delivery and Dhoni waits and pas it back defensively

12.1 - Axar to I Pathan, 1 run, bowls it atypically slow, from round the wicket and on leg-stump. Pathan winds up into a sweep to deep mid-wicket

Axar Patel [1.0-0-3-1] is back into the attack

Over: 12	0 1 2	PUNE 81/4
I Pathan 1(1)	Dhoni 1(1)	Gurkeerat Singh 2-0-15-2

11.6 - Gurkeerat Singh to I Pathan, 1 run, has a slip now and defies him with a front foot stride. Driven through covers to get off the mark

Irfan Pathan, left handed bat, comes to the crease

11.5 - Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, out Caught by D Miller!! And Khawaja has chosen to go. Pune now need 93 runs in 49 balls, and with him gone, the equation starts to assume higher degrees of complexity. This was there to be hit, to be fair. On that sloggable length, Khawaja crouched on his knee but didn't put enough wattage into this slog-sweep which found deep mid-wicket, like radium in dark. Khawaja c D Miller b Gurkeerat Singh 30(29) [4s-1 6s-1]

Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

11.4 - Gurkeerat Singh to Dhoni, 1 run, not on the pads, slightly outside off but in the vicinity enough to be worked down to deep mid-wicket

11.3 - Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, 1 run, pokes his front leg out and tucks it round the corner

MS Dhoni, right handed bat, comes to the crease

11.2 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, out Caught by Behardien!! And now he perishes. His watch is ended, as the Crows would say. Used his feet, sees the length shortened and goes with the turn for this loft. Couldn't compensate for the slightly exaggerated turn ad slices it straight to an onrushing deep cover. S Tiwary c Behardien b Gurkeerat Singh 17(15) [4s-1 6s-1]

Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

11.2 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, wide, fires it quick but long distances the tramline - to the right of it

11.1 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, SIX, the fullishness, the foolishness on that has been pummeled. In the slot to be slog-swept and Tiwary RSVPs to the invitation with a grand launch over mid-wicket. All the way, need I say?

Gurkeerat Singh Mann [1.0-0-5-0] is back into the attack

Over: 11	1	PUNE 71/2
S Tiwary 11(13)	Khawaja 29(27)	R Dhawan 2-0-16-0

10.6 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, 1 run, a gargatuan front foot stride across the pitch and a closed bat to tap the ball forcibly to long-on

10.5 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, 2 runs, slow bouncers once threatened to be as effective as yorkers but not now. Fetches a brace here. Tiwary delays his pull, fetches the ball over his head and pinched it to mid-wicket

10.4 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, 1 run, punched to long-on. Brought his bat down in an angle and just pushed it away in disdain

10.4 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, wide, swings this down leg-sdie on a shorter length and Khawaja spindle didn't fetch medals.. or the ball

10.3 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, no run, was into his shuffle too early and this leg-stump delivery had good bounce to take the inside edge of the closing bat and ping the pad. No appeal. Burn that Spirit of Cricket bool already

10.2 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, FOUR, same shot, same ball but the intent measured more. If only there was a scale! Powered it with a bigger batswing and tailored it past extra cover for a boundary. Lovely boundary. What's next?

10.1 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, no run, welcomes it on the front foot, takes this fullish delivery and pats the drive to cover

Over: 10	0 W 1 1 0 1 0 W 0 2 1	PUNE 62/2
S Tiwary 8(11)	Khawaja 24(23)	Kyle Abbott 2-0-9-0

9.6 - Kyle Abbott to S Tiwary, 2 runs, had the room made and ended up reaching out to pat this to deep backward point

9.5 - Kyle Abbott to S Tiwary, no run, and another. Comes down the track again, had made room while doing so to make matters worse and misses by a bigger mile this time. Talk about inviting wrath and embarrassing yourself with it

9.4 - Kyle Abbott to S Tiwary, no run, a waft. That's what it was. A shot you play when your father buys you a new segway. Or hot wheels that you can ride. Shimmies out, sees the line and widened and fails to connect on this occasion

9.3 - Kyle Abbott to S Tiwary, no run, gets this cutter that's shorter in length to dart from leg to off. Tiwary looked a little dumbfounded as he puts his bat up and ended up chipping it in front of mid-off

9.2 - Kyle Abbott to Khawaja, 1 run, whips this from outside off and gets it past mid-wicket for a single.. as Isa Guha celebrates a birthday in the commentary box on air. Gavaskar is singing..

9.1 - Kyle Abbott to Khawaja, no run, oh Khawaja! Such a nice front foot drive. Leant into it, caressed the ball away but found extra cover. Do I have a synonym for 'found'?

Kyle Abbott [1.0-0-6-0] is back into the attack

Over: 9	6 0 Wd	PUNE 59/2
S Tiwary 6(7)	Khawaja 23(21)	R Dhawan 1-0-7-0

8.6 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, no run, shuffles across to make up for the width on this, jabs his open bat across but but backward point intercepts. Could have done it on heels. Time-out!

8.5 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, FOUR, that's where he is good. Dhawan cut the pace on it but it was trimmed back in length. As a result, Tiwary's turnaround tuck was uppish but beneficial for a boundary through deep mid-wicket

8.4 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, 1 run, that's a slow bouncer, Khawaja was ducking and then saw how slow it was. Makeshifts with a pull, with his head dropping and the ball rooms round the corner for a single

8.3 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, 1 run, another one. Dhawan is making Tiwary reach out to get his runs and the batsman does so using his long hands and the longer handle. Played it straighter and wide of mid-off to get a single this time

8.2 - R Dhawan to S Tiwary, no run, gets the width on his length ball, fress arms on the punch but finds a fielder. Point, I think

8.1 - R Dhawan to Khawaja, 1 run, with THAT hairstyle now been ditched, it seems to be working straightaway for Dhawan. Drops it short first up, Khawaja underestimates the pace from him and ends up splicing the pull. So hurried he was that he couldn't even swivel. The flat-batted pull fell well short of an onrushing long-on

Rishi Dhawan, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

Here's Rishi Dhawan!

Over: 8	0 1 4 0 0	PUNE 52/2
S Tiwary 1(3)	Khawaja 21(19)	Gurkeerat Singh 1-0-5-0

7.6 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, no run, end of a good first over. Just five runs off it. Keeps it very full and flat outside off, and Tiwary reaches out to push. Chained feet meant that the push couldn't be powered enough

7.5 - Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, 1 run, drifts in onto the pads and sees a clipped single to mid-wicket

7.4 - Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, 2 runs, wide of a diving cover-point who doesn't get to the ball. Width there was, Khawaja threw his arms to exploit that and shoplifted two runs

7.3 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, 1 run, that's too wide. And the pace allows Tiwary to extend arms on the cut. So much time that it's been placed to sweeper cover in the deep

7.2 - Gurkeerat Singh to S Tiwary, no run, keeps it slow, drops it shorter and Tiwary had to wait before attempting an ineffective dab that finds backward point

7.1 - Gurkeerat Singh to Khawaja, 1 run, from round the wicket, pings a fuller length with slow pace and invites a push out to long-off

Gurkeerat Singh Mann, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Saurabh Tiwary, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Over: 7	0 W 1	PUNE 47/2
Bailey 9(11)	Khawaja 17(16)	Axar 1-0-3-1

6.6 - Axar to Bailey, out Stumped!! There it is. The turn. Axar bowls it slow on a good length, draws Bailey out of his crease and then gets it to spin away viciously. Saha was alert behind the stumps, shuffles to his right to collect and lights the LEDs up. That red signals the end of Bailey's innings, his T20 League 2016 batting, but not his smiles. Bailey st W Saha b Axar 9(11) [4s-2]

Axar to Bailey, THAT'S OUT!! Stumped!!

6.5 - Axar to Khawaja, 1 run, shuffle-dances across his stumps, takes on this shortish delivery on the stumps and tucks it to deep mid-wicket. More like a Smith-single that

6.4 - Axar to Bailey, 1 run, backs away, makes the width more mediocre than it was and taps it with long arms to third man

6.3 - Axar to Bailey, no run, fetches a sweep, did well to roll his wrists but he's not found the gap. Seeing it as a sieve that a field, may be. Okay, that's exaggeration

6.2 - Axar to Bailey, no run, good shoulders on this length ball fired outside off, Bailey had his front leg out and punches on the up, to end up in a defensive push

6.1 - Axar to Khawaja, 1 run, gets one on the pads at a quickfire pace and nudges it round the corner

Axar Patel, left-arm orthodox, comes into the attack

Over: 6	1 4 0	PUNE 44/1
Bailey 8(7)	Khawaja 15(14)	Mohit Sharma 2-0-23-0

5.6 - Mohit Sharma to Bailey, FOUR, and again! Another use of the feet, the length is a touch manipulated by Mohit who drops it short, but Bailey's stopgap shots are no ordinary. Closes the bat face on the 45-degree punch and channels it over mid-on this time. There's the V covered in two balls

5.5 - Mohit Sharma to Bailey, FOUR, uses his feet and makes himself feel better almost. Buries the demons with an extended-arm loft over mid-off. Nicely done. On the up and found the vacant acres to perfection

5.4 - Mohit Sharma to Bailey, no run, Vijay was either in trans or a touch too deep to effect a catch at mid-on. This, I will put in as a missed chance. Bailey still has a smile to offer. Coming to the ball: Sharma had cut the length back, Bailey opted for the pull but was too cramped. The bat turned and the ball ricochets off it as the blade pointed upwards. A sliced pull you may say, and Vijay almost trundles forward but the ball drops short. A bit more urgency and you never know

5.3 - Mohit Sharma to Bailey, no run, goes back this time to adjust with the shortness in length and bunts it into the off-side. Not much intent there. Looked more like a defensive push

5.2 - Mohit Sharma to Bailey, no run, now that's theatrically wristy. And the tippy-toe'd shuffle exaggerated it all. Fetched a length ball from outside off, slid across while doing so but couldn't breach the mid-wicket castle. Need more army, I reckon

5.1 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, slower in pace and trimming in with the angle from inside the wide tramline, Khawaja had the time to tap that with an open blade to short third man. A single, only, this time

Mohit Sharma [1.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack

Over: 5	1 0 0	PUNE 35/1
Bailey 0(2)	Khawaja 14(13)	Sandeep Sharma 3-0-14-1

4.6 - Sandeep Sharma to Bailey, no run, uses his forgotten front foot now. Just a touch. Slight transfer of weight forward to power this through covers but cannot. Finds the fielder with this push that could be put as weak, given the two minds - front foot or back foot - that Bailey was in

4.5 - Sandeep Sharma to Bailey, no run, had his bat right next to his pad to meet this fullish delivery, turns the blade on impact and shoves this ball to mid-wicket where Amla swoops on the ball but fumbles

George Bailey, right handed bat, comes to the crease

4.4 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, out Caught by W Saha!! Believe me, that's the worst way to go. No, not the run out at the bowler's end, but this. A strangle down leg. Pretty ordinary ball this - shortish in length, down leg side and crying to be put away. Rahane is late to spot the line and turn around for a tickle. He placed it finer as a result, within Saha's radar who leaps to his left and pouches it. Ordinary cricket, but for Saha's athleticism behind the stumps. Rahane c W Saha b Sandeep Sharma 19(15) [4s-4]

Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

4.3 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, this time he does what he wanted - without a shimmy and with more of bat. The angle in was overdone, Khawaja just stayed put and clipped a single round the corner

4.2 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, no run, this time, Sharma outwits Khawaja. Sees Khawaja shimmy out ruthlessly, gets this ball to angle in ruthlessly and holds him back. Khawaja came to a screeching halt, wanted to cramp out a tuck but only could offer his pad in response

4.1 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, no run, goes wide of the crease from round the wicket but fails to slant it in. Pings it fullish and wide, Khawaja reaches out for a tame dab that finds backward point

Over: 4	1 0 0	PUNE 34/0
Rahane 19(14)	Khawaja 13(10)	Kyle Abbott 1-0-6-0

3.6 - Kyle Abbott to Rahane, no run, Abbott goes fuller this time and Rahane almost jams out this drive rather defensively to mid-off

3.5 - Kyle Abbott to Rahane, FOUR, that's gorgeous! Short delivery outside off and how often does a batsman cut that? Not Rahane. Stays put, pokes his hands out and punches off the back foot over backward point. Had his stance open to get that placement pitch-perfect. Brilliant. Rewind and see that again

3.4 - Kyle Abbott to Rahane, no run, that's the most beautiful ramp never played. Arches back to create the space for his periscope of a bat, but the bounce's too much. Just too much. The ball zooms over his horizontal heaven-facing thrusting blade

3.3 - Kyle Abbott to Khawaja, leg byes, 1 run, was he late on this? Looks like. Leg byes given. The bat took time to descend from that high back lift and this leg-stumpish delivery frisks the pads for an extra

3.2 - Kyle Abbott to Rahane, 1 run, slants his torso to the leg-side, with his feet frozen, and makes enough room to execute a dab down to third man. Soft hands to use the pace on that

Yes, no slip there

3.1 - Kyle Abbott to Khawaja, 1 run, clipped to mid-wicket as Abbott begins from over the wicket to Khawaja. Couldn't spot a slip there but I will confirm

Kyle Abbott, right-arm medium, comes into the attack

Over: 3	1 1 0	PUNE 27/0
Khawaja 12(8)	Rahane 14(10)	Sandeep Sharma 2-0-13-0

2.6 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, this round the wicket line to tuck Khawaja up for room isn't working much because the batsman is far from handicapped on the leg-side. Picks this length delivery up with straightened elbows and launches it to deep square leg. Falls short of the fielder there and he will keep strike with this

2.5 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, 1 run, puts on his ballerina shoes, tucks it round the corner and runs a single. Ah, my fingers!

2.4 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, no run, tries to reach out to a wide delivery for a dab but it's too far, Rahane too late and not enough force into that shot to carry beyond backward point

2.3 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, FOUR, and this has been brutally caressed. Through fine leg. Sandeep pings a length on say off-stump, Rahane was on the back foot - like how quickly you flick a switch - and clipped it through the empty acres behind

2.2 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, no run, swings his bat inside the line like a pendulum and defends this short of length delivery into the pitch. Rolls down to the bowler nonchalantly

2.1 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, takes on a short of length delivery, looping up slow enough for Khawaja to turn it down to mid-wicket. Puts on the wheels and steals a run, and the throw was mediocre enough to not effect a run out at the striker's end

Over: 2	0 4 0	PUNE 20/0
Rahane 9(6)	Khawaja 10(6)	Mohit Sharma 1-0-14-0

1.6 - Mohit Sharma to Rahane, FOUR, Mohit switches back to over the wicket for Rahane but he's come second. Good length delivery rising high and into Rahane, who turns around and almost shoves it down to fine leg. Can't call it a tuck because it wasn't too wristy. Just firm wrists, closed bat pointing to fine leg and a push-iron of a shot

1.5 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, cramps him for room with a fullish length on the stumps, Khawaja lets his bat turn as he pushes one to mid-on for an urgent I-beat-you single

Don't see a slip, Mohit is bowling from round the wicket now

1.4 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, 2 runs, plays this one on the up. The shortish length helped him get under it and punch it uppishly over mid-off, who runs across to his right and cuts it off

1.3 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, SIX, oh divine. All eyes, all hands. Takes on this length ball, had the length gauged early I reckon and just picks it up over deep square leg. Gyrated around in his crease and flicked it with cocked wrists to generate power

1.3 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, wide, and he chases this one. Wide it was, yes, with the overbaked angle taking it way over the tramline. But Khawaja was drawn into it, had his feet frozen but reached out only to miss

1.2 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, no run, another one middled but another one slotted straight to a fielder. Amla at mid-wicket, who almost arrested his head-first dive to hold onto the ball. Shortish length around say fourth stump, Khawaja swiveled into a high-batted tuck but ended up coming second in the searchathon

1.1 - Mohit Sharma to Khawaja, no run, slants this across on a length, from over the wicket, Khawaja stays put and punches it into the off-side, with no returns. Found one of the off-side blockers, perhaps extra cover

Mohit Sharma, right-arm medium, comes into the attack

Here's Mohit for his back-of-the hand theatrics. A slip for him. Why Vijay?

Over: 1	1	PUNE 6/0
Rahane 5(5)	Khawaja 1(1)	Sandeep Sharma 1-0-6-0

0.6 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, no run, stays tall, stays firm and punches this length ball without any movement in front of mid-off. End of a hotchpotch over from Sandeep. Too many lengths, too many lines

0.5 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, FOUR, but not the line. Gets the swing going from a fuller length but the radar's wrong. Slips it down leg and Rahane spindles around softly and nudges it to the fine leg fence. Deftly done. Times his turn-around and put enough wood on that for it to race away

0.4 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, no run, curls in the air but stays low, which was apparent from the way Rahane crouched to defend this. Went right down and dug this into the pitch with soft hands. That length's better, Sandeep!

0.3 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, no run, skids on with bounce from a length, Rahane stays flat-footed and defends it down the pitch sanely. Did well to stay back and ride some extra bounce on this one

0.2 - Sandeep Sharma to Khawaja, 1 run, stays over the wicket to the left hander, drops it on a length down leg and invites Khawaja to use his surreal wrists. He does so, with a tucked single round the corner. So, he's off the mark too

0.1 - Sandeep Sharma to Rahane, 1 run, gets a gentle inswinger going but it's dropped too short for discomfort. Jags in from a width and Rahane had the room and the time - thanks to the slow pitch - to dab it to third man. Off the mark with a single

Rahane and Khawaja are at the crease. Rahane is on strike. Sandeep Sharma will open the attack